


Public Face

by Wallwalker



Category: Iron Man (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Alcohol, Angst, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-02-09
Updated: 2015-02-09
Packaged: 2018-03-11 09:06:55
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 658
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3321770
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Wallwalker/pseuds/Wallwalker
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Tony's having a bad night.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Public Face

**Author's Note:**

> Set between IM and IM2.

Tony didn't look like a man who wanted out of a party. He looked as facile as ever, holding a half-empty wine glass in one hand and drawing a circuit diagram on a spare napkin with the other. Well, probably a circuit diagram. Rhodey had seen them before, but nothing that complicated.

The rest of the table noticed Rhodey before Tony did; he was genuinely absorbed by his diagram, and only looked up after he was done. "Oh, hey, Rhodey," he said, grinning. "Fancy meeting you here." 

"I was in the neighborhood." He tried not to let his discomfort show. Everyone else there was in evening wear, and there he was in his uniform. One of the nice ones, and he had it on good authority that he looked damn good in it, but that didn't make him feel less out of place.

"Great, great." He raised his voice. "Hey, folks, my buddy here - you've heard of him, right? Lieutenant Colonel James Rhodes, big military hero?" 

"Tony, please," Rhodey said, shaking his head.

"What? It's true. Anyway, I've gotta introduce him to a few folks. You can keep the napkin." He got up, leaned in close as they turned away. "Thank God," he said quietly. "Get me out of here."

Rhodey smiled and nodded, as if Tony had said something funny, and waved to the rest of the table. A few of them waved back; most of them were still staring at the napkin.

"Do we need to make arrangements for the car?" Rhodey asked, _sotto voce,_ when they were out of earshot. 

"Jarvis is on it. Pepper's okay, right?" 

"Yeah, she's off with Happy, handling something." 

"Good. Glad she sent you." They were outside now, and Tony's smile was a great deal less charming. "They offered me a ride, but. Yeah." 

Rhodey nodded. He'd been with Tony the day he found out about his parents. "Yeah. I know." 

They reached the car, and Rhodey helped him into the passenger side. Tony was drunk and stiff at the same time, and Rhodey didn't miss the soft groans that accompanied his movements. Tony hid it well, even in front of him, but not well enough; Rhodey had seen enough proud, wounded cadets to know when somebody was in pain and trying not to show it. 

They drove without speaking for a while. He let Tony fiddle with the stereo, looking for a decent rock station with little success; they were few and far between in this part of the state. After a while he gave up and leaned back. "You've gotta get satellite radio or something," he muttered.

"It's not worth the money. I'd never listen to it."

"Yeah, I forgot. Mr. Practical over here doesn't pay for luxuries." Tony laughed a bit at his own joke, but it stopped almost immediately. "Still. Glad you came."

"Not a problem." And it wasn't a problem, not that evening. He hadn't interrupted any meetings or anything. "Surprised to see you up and about already. You took a hell of a hit out there yesterday."

"It didn't exactly breach my armor -"

"It knocked you down, Tony. You had to have felt that."

"Couple of bruises at most. I'm _fine,_ Rhodey." 

"Okay, right." It wasn't worth arguing about. Tony was the most stubborn man he'd ever met. Still, _he'd_ probably keep arguing if Rhodey didn't change the subject. "You don't have to do this society stuff all the time."

"Hey, I'm a social guy. People expect it."

"And you're gonna do stuff just because other people want you to do it? Doesn't sound like you, Tony."

"It's different. Makes people feel comfortable." He leaned back in the seat, closing his eyes. "It's the truth they're afraid of."

Rhodey made himself keep his eyes on the road. "Didn't think you were drunk enough to be that honest."

Tony's chuckle was cold, and not charming at all. "Know what the funny thing is? I'm not."


End file.
